Sliding hopper gate operating mechanism



Aug. 20, 1968 5. J. SNYDER SLIDING HOPPER GATE OPERATING MECHANISM 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 10. 1967 TN I I I I l J I INVENTOR. SAMUEL J.SNYDER ATTORNEY Aug. 20, 1968 5. J. SNYDER SLIDING HOPPER GATE OPERATINGMECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 10, 1967 Aug. 20,- 1968 5. J.SNYDER S LIDING HOPPER GATE OPERATING MECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledFeb. 10, 1967 gcrr Aug. 20, 1968 S. J. SNYDER SLIDING HOPPER GATEOPERATING MECBANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 10, 1967 QN N.\\\\\\\\\\\P Aug. 20, 1968 5. J. SNYDER SLIDING HOPPER GATE OPERATINGMECHANISM 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 10, 1967 United States Patent3,397,654 SLIDING HOPPER GATE OPERATING MECHANISM Samuel J. Snyder, LongIsland City, N.Y., assignor to ACF Industries, Incorporated, New York,N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Feb. 10, 1967, Ser. No. 615,130 8Claims. (Cl. 105-305) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The high force oftenrequired to open the sliding gate of ahopper of a railroad car or thelike is supplied by a cam fixed to the same shaft as is the pinion of arack and pinion drive for the gate, the cam and the pinion being enabledto turn at the same rate by a lost motion connection between the rackand the gate. Should the gate become stuck at an intermediate point ofits travel, the lost motion connection permits an impact to be appliedto the gate to restart its movement.

Background of the invention Sliding hopper gates of a relatively largesize, such as twenty-four (24) inches by forty-two (42) inches, re quirerelatively high initial opening forces, especially under severe coldweather conditions and with ladings, such as cement, that tend to bindand adhere to the gates. Heretofore, gear reduction units havingmechanical advantages varying from around three-to-one to twelve-toonehave been employed to overcome the high initial opening forces. However,with gear reduction units, the rate of gear travel and the rate of gatemovement are reduced by the ratio of the mechanical advantage. Thus,particularly with gear units having a relatively high mechanicaladvantage, a low opening rate is obtained which results in a long gatetravel time. An alternative arrangement disclosed in Reissue Patent26,093 provides impacting means for starting the opening of the gate.

Application Ser. No. 581,383, filed Sept. 22, 1966 and assigned to theassignee of this application, provides a camming mechanism for slidinghopper gates in which a high opening force at a low gate travel Speed isapplied forinitially opening the gate a distance of around two (2)inches. Then, a fast opening rate for the remainder of gate travel isobtained by a direct drive. Thus, the slow gate travel is employed onlywhen the gate is initially cracked open and thereafter, a fast gatetravel is obtained to open the gatein a minimum of time. The gateopening mechanism is operated by a continued rotation of the pinionshaft without any separate operations or steps'being involved.

Summary of the invention Briefly described, the present inventioncomprises a pinion and rack combination for opening and closing thegate, there being preferably two pinions fixed to a pinion shaft forengaging racks on opposite sides of the gate in a direct drive to slidethe gate to a full open position at a fast gate travel rate. Separatemeans, specifically, a cam, is fixed on the pinion shaft for initiallybreaking the gate open independently of the racks and pinions and isoperable only during the initial opening movement of the gate from afully closed position. Thus, the initial rotation of the pinion shaftfromth'e full closed position of the gate first actuates a mechanism forinitially breaking the gate open at a low travel rate and continuedrotation of the pinion shaft actuates the pinions for the full openingof the gate at a fast gate travel rate. Lost motion means connect theracks to the gate to permit the initial 3,397,654 Patented Aug. 20, 1968'ice Brief description of the drawing In the accompanying drawings, inwhich one of several possible embodiments of the invention isillustrated:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a covered hopper railway car having aplurality of bottom outlet structures comprising the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged side elevation of a bottom outlet structure,showing in dashed lines the position of the rack when the gate is open;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan of the sliding gate structure shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged top plan of the mechanism for opening thesliding gate illustrating the gate in a fully closed posiiton;

FIGURE 5 is an end elevation of the bottom outlet structure shown inFIGURES 2 and 3;

FIGURES 6 and 7 are sectional views taken along lines 6-6 and 77 ofFIGURE 4;

FIGURE 8 is a partial view showing particularly the positions of themovable elements after the gate is initially opened;

FIGURE 9 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 8 showing the positions ofthe elements at the end of the opening of the gate;

FIGURE 10 is a view similar to that of FIGURES 8 and 9 showing thepositions of the elements after the beginning of the closing of thegate.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring now to the drawings,and more particularly to FIGURE 1, a covered hopper railway car isgenerally designated 10 and has a plurality of hopper structures 12separated by partitions or bulkheads 14. A truck assembly 16 is arrangedat each end of car 10. Spaced along the top of the car 10 are hatchcovers 18 for loading of the car. Hopper sheets 20 of each hopperstructure 12 slope downwardly to a bottom discharge opening defined byan outer peripheral flange 22. The hopper and gate structure isillustrated and described in application Ser. No. 581,383, filed Sept.22, 1966 by F. C. Pulcrano and Carl E. Becker, and the disclosure ofthat application is incorporated herein by reference.

Secured to peripheral flange 22 beneath each bottom discharge opening isa bottom outlet structure generally indicated 24. Each bottom outletstructure 24 comprises an upper generally rectangular peripheral flange25 formed by the upper horizontal legs of angle-shaped end frame members26 and side frame members 28. Mounted on the upper surfaces of endmembers 26 and side members 28 for sliding movement is a gate 30.Spacers on end members 26 and on one side member 28 fit betweenperipheral flanges 22 and 25 adjacent gate 30 to provide clearance forgate 30 between flanges 22 and 25. Flange 22 is spaced from the otherside member 28 adjacent the gate operating mechanism to form a slot toreceive gate 30. Suitable bolt and nut combination (not shown) securebottom outlet structure 24 to flange 22. An intermediate support 34secured between side members 28 supports gate 30 between its ends. Anangle 35 secured to the upper surface of gate 30 is adapted to fit overadjacent flange 22 in the closed position of the gate thereby to preventthe entry of foreign matter between flange 22 and gate 30.

Secured to opposed side edges of gate 30 are blocks 36 positioned abovethe upper surface of end members 26 and adapted to move therealong withgate 30. Stub shafts 38 are welded to gate 30 as shown in FIG. 7 andeach extends through a slot 37 of a loop 39 of a rack 40 supported forsliding movement along the upper surface of the subjacent end framemember 26, so that shaft 38 and loop 39 form a lost motion connectionbetween the rack and the gate. A rack retainer clip 41 is secured toeach end frame member 26 to guide the associated rack 40 as shown inFIGURE 3.

A hearing support bracket 42 having a bearing 44 thereon is secured tothe underside of each end frame member 26 by a clamp 43 and bolts 45. Apinion shaft 46 is mounted in bearings 44 for rotation and has a capstan48 fixed to each end thereof. A suitable handspike (not shown) or thelike may be inserted in openings of capstans 48 to rotate shaft 46 foropening and closing gate 30.

To provide a mechanical advantage and a relatively high force forinitially opening gate 30, a cam 40 fixed to pinion shaft 46 adjacenteach side thereof acts against an adjacent block 36. A pinion 52adjacent each end of shaft 46 is fixed on shaft 46. As shown in FIGURE4, an opening 62 in the horizontal leg of each side member 26 beneathcam 50 receives cam 50 upon rotation thereof. Positioned adjacent cam 50on each block 36 is a roller 64 mounted on an axle 66 for rotation andin engagement with cam 50 for minimizing frictional contact between cam50 and block 36.

To secure gate 30 in closed position, a latch rod 68 is mounted forrotation on side members 26 and has latch bars 70 thereon adapted toswing behind an adjacent stub shaft 38 when gate 30 is in closedposition to prevent opening of the gate. Latch bars 70 are supported ontabs 72 in the closed position of the gate indicated in FIGURE 4 and ontabs 74 in the open position of gate 30.

For initially opening gate 30 from the fully closed position shown inFIGURES 2 and 4, latch rod 68 is rotated to the position of FIGURE 8 andpinion shaft 46 is rotated manually by a suitable hand-spike in capstan48 from either side of gate 30. Initial rotation of shaft 46 rotatescams 50 in clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURES 8 to 10. Cams 50 arein engagement with rollers 64 and urge blocks 36 outwardly to move gate30 in an opening direction. Pinious 52 move racks 40 much more rapidlythan gate 30 moves, so that loop 39 moves relative to pins or stubshafts 38 until the elements reach the positions shown in FIGURE 8. Uponrotation of cams 50 around threehundred-fifty degree (350) as shown inFIGURE 8, gate 30 opens a distance of around two (2) inches, and pins 38completely traverse slots 37. The mechanical advantage of cams 50 isaround five-to-one so a large opening force is obtained for initiallybreaking gate 30 open.

When the gate 30 is fully opened upon extreme movement in the directionof arrow 78, the elements attain the positions shown in FIGURE 9. Whenit is desired to move the gate toward a closed position, shaft 46 isrotated in the opposite direction and pinions 52 move racks 40 in thedirection of arrow 80, until the left hand side of loop 39 encounterspin 38, as shown in FIG. 10. Thereafter, upon continued rotation ofshaft 46, gate 30 moves with racks 40 until the gate is closed, and therack moves to the solid line position in FIGURE 2, from the dashed lineposition.

The positioning and dimensions of rollers 64 and cams 50 are such thatcams 50 move into the position of FIG- URE 2 upon the full closing ofgate 30. Therefore, when gate 30 is fully closed, cams 50 are in properposition for again opening gate 30.

From the foregoing, it is to be understood that the present inventionprovides a gate opening mechanism which has a high force for initiallybreaking the gate open and then has a high rate of travel for moving thegate to fully open position after the initial opening of the gate. Ifthe gate becomes stuck or very hard to move at an intermediate point ofits travel, shaft 46 may be reversed for a part of a turn, and thenshaft 46 may be given a hard turn so that the racks acquire a highvelocity and, in view of their considerable mass, impart a heavy blow topins 38 to move the gate. It is apparent that if the camming mechanismwere omitted, the lost motion connection would permit impacts to 'beapplied to open the gate initially.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results obtained.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention, it is intended that allmatter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanyingdrawingsshall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limitingsense.

I claim:

1. In a railway hopper car having a frame defining a bottom dischargeoutlet, a gate mounted for sliding generally horizontally on said framefor closing said outlet, a rotatable shaft mounted close to said frame,a horizontal rack slidably mounted on said frame, pinion means fixed tosaid shaft and engaging said rack, a lost motion connection between saidrack and said gate, whereby the rack moves the gate after apredetermined, amount of lost motion therebetween, and force multiplyingadditional drive means on said shaft positioned to engage said gate whensaid gate is closed or slightly open for sliding said gate horizontallyto a partially open position before said gate is moved by said rack.

2. The structure defined in claim 1, wherein the lost motion connectionis dimensioned to provide a movement of the rack relative to the gateproduced 'by a major portion of one turn of the pinion.

3. The structure according to claim 2, wherein the lost motionconnection includes a pin and a slotted member surrounding the pin, oneof which is fixed to the rack and the other of which is fixed to thegate.

4. The structure according to claim 1, wherein the lost motionconnection includes an impactable member fixed to the gate and animpacting member fixed to the rack.

5. The structure according to claim 1, comprising a pair of racks onopposite sides of the gate, said pinion means including a pinionengaging each rack, and a lost motion connection between each rack andthe gate.

6. The structure according to claim 5, wherein each lost motionconnection includes an impactable member fixed to the gate and animpacting member fixed to the rack.

7. The structure defined in claim 1, wherein said additional drive meansincludes a cam fixed to said shaft and a member fixed to said gate andengaging said cam when the gate is in its closed position or is onlyslightly open.

8. A hopper comprising a chute-like enclosure having a bottom dischargeopening, a gate for said discharge opening movable in a generallyhorizontal direction between opened and closed positions relative to thedischarge opening, support means on opposite sides of said enclosure onwhich said gate is movable beyond one side of the enclosure to openedposition, a rotatable shaft mounted on said support means, drive meansfixedly coupled to said shaft for moving the gate between opened andclosed positions, a lost motion connection between said drive means andsaid gate, whereby the drive means moves the gate after a predeterminedamount of lost motion therebetween, and additional drive means connectedto said shaft to initially open the gate a predetermined amountindependently of said first mentioned drive means from the fully closedposition of the gate, said additional drive means having a relaitvelyhigh opening force and a relatively small opening rate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 835,595 11/1906 Bishop 2225053,110,270 11/1963 Ingram 222505 3,127,852 4/1964 Beachamp -253 ROBERT B.REEVES, Primary Examiner.

H. S. LANE, Assistant Examiner.

